#I wont explain further to avoid spoilers just in case but. well.

[hsohangout]

saw a post about ina11 tumblr sexymen and im sorry to say this y'all but orion already gave us one who checks out a lot, if not all of the boxes

[jazajas]

okay so i finished love, victor a while ago and i saw some other reviews and thoughts about it here so now i've got a pretty good list on my thoughts and feelings.

tl;dr: it has some issues, yes, but im gonna hold out and hope it gets better later on because the same thing happened with the first few eps, i wasn't that into it but then it got good, and nothing is ever great with the first season, because at that point we're getting used to those characters.

⚠️caution: spoilers ahead (im on mobile, i cant get an under-the-cut)⚠️

1. while a leah on the offbeat movie would have been amazing movie sequel (even tho i havent read the book yet, im just here for the wlw content) i am kind of glad we got this instead. mostly because I've seen book series where one movie was good, so they decide to do the rest, turn out bad (hunger games? divergent? percy jackson? the hobbit?) because so much was cut from the book-to-first movie writing, that other scenes wouldn't make sense to future movies if they had those in while cutting others. however, i am sad that i didn't get to make the choice of deciding whether what was cut was wrong etc. about future movies, but i'll take what i can get.

2. LGBTQ+ POC as a lead! that's amazing! as a ace/bi lantina that's close to home (it also is great that victor's from texas and so is ya gorl) and even then it's a mixed latinx family! i think pilar mentioned that at least the grandmother left Colombia and i saw the Puerto Rican flag in victor's room. also the salazar's are definitely from small town texas, even without knowing the name. (church barbeques, the use of the words "such a diverse city" in regards to atlanta)

3. a lack of actual lgbtq+ main storylines (so far) is kind of sad for a show like this. i was getting serious bi/pan vibes (as a lot of other people) from victor from the beginning, and when it was implied that victor was actually gay (while great, not shaming) as it has been brought to my attention, there was a lot of looking at a lot of straight relationship problems (please let us know more about benji)- edit 6/18: upon further consideration, it very much is a show about questioning your sexuality, I'm speaking about the other straight relationship issues, not mia and Victor's, its just the first season.

4. let us talk about cheating for a sec. never okay, in any circumstance. i feel sorry for mia that she saw victor making out with benji and the fact that he was doing any of that in the first place. victor made a choice to lie about the espresso machine and then kissed benji at the hotel and then when benji was fighting with derek, basically confessed his love and mistakes, then proceeded to makeout with benji after he broke up with derek, he built that grave and now he must lie in it. i get having feelings for a guy when you are in a relationship with a girl, and not accepting yourself enough to end that relationship but you really want it to work so you can be "normal". really, he should have told mia after he got back from the trip tho. i get being in highschool and doing stupid stuff and making dumb decisions, but for a show aimed at teens i think we should also remind said teens to make good choices even if we have to lose some realism within the character choices.

4. pilar and her decisions based off her brother pissed me off. because i honestly think that if she'd kept her mouth shut about what she knew or confronted victor about it in the first place we could have avoided a LOT of mess. did she not learn from snooping around her mother's business about her relationships that going behind a person's back doesnt end well? i did, however, like the pilar/felix friendship and was really kind of hoping that they'd get together during their coffee hangout (although now im glad that didn't happen) because they had a deeper understanding of each other. same with wendy/felix, although they do seem to much alike to work out in the long run but i still feel bad for wendy.

5. i don't know how i feel about lake and andrew, as people separate from each other. both seem to be the way they are from their upbringing (not confirmed why andrew is such an ass, but if his comment about his dad is anything to go by i bet it's got something to do with attention) but andrew seems to be less, idk, superficial? like he turned down mia because he didn't want to be a rebound, he didn't out victor, he actually stood up to early teasing the other dudes in the lockerroom were doing at victor (with teasing of his own obviously but that interaction had him on my nice list until much later). lake? lake. i honestly don't have an opinion of her? not really. i mean after hanging out with pilar i was hoping felix wouldn't go back to lake. is her name laken? i feel like her full name is laken. but they also played the "im only like this because my mom is really superficial about stuff and i do like the geeky nice guy but appearances" to "actually screw the norms im gonna makeout with him infront of the whole student body". i honestly thought she was gonna be bi because she kept hitting on mia when she was helping set up for her "date" and "big night" and there was one point where i saw her face fall at something mia said in relation to her and idk i was hoping she'd be bi (i figured early on that victor/mia wasnt gonna work and was like "oh mia/lake would be cute" but now idk.

6. okay on to the "big night", i have one word. NO. i didn't like the peer pressure into having sex. i agreed with felix when he said "your body your choice" but im also disappointed that victor made out with mia and when lake was talking to felix after victor left he didn't try to stand up for victor.

7. on to age gaps because i hadn't really thought of this at first. we'll start with benji/derek: WHAT GRADE IS BENJI?! because that determines my thoughts. if he's a sophomore that meant that he and Derek started dating benji's freshman year and thats eugh, don't do that, don't care if its a gay couple that shouldn't be happening because the maturity of the two characters is DRASTICALLY different (this is also a reason i am not a fan of cmbyn) but that would explain why they were so rocky. hoping the event at the gay bar was open to anyone not just for drinking, but not liking that fact that not one of the adults with victor were like: hey, this is a 16 year old, that's kind of wack when that dude was hitting on victor. that made me question some stuff. although i figure it might be making up for the lack of a gay bar scene in love, simon. but even then, in svthsa it's a restaurant with a bar that some people go to just to drink at, it wasn't just a bar, simon could be there but should NOT have accepted drinks from college kids, not matter how attractive.

8. i loved how bram and simon and their friends helped victor out though. i like how bram was like: hey i know my friends are a lot so here's a gay basketball league becaue there's no one way to be gay. i like how Simon talked about needing help himself just to help victor and how he said his friends were cool with it because it's a community. i like of justin(?) mentioned how being what his parents wanted was putting on a mask and pretending, not him doing drag. my favorite lines from that ep are: "and before you ask my pronouns are they/them/theirs" "'they're all gay? even that guy? he's like [insert really tall number]' 'yeah. you should see him in heels'" "or in simon's case: really unathletic" "and also because bram said that if i wore [the jean jacket] one more time he'd burn it". also katya was there. and the group hug too!

9. the back hand homophobia in relation to family is sad, but realistic and i sincerely hope his parents are kind enough not to be too harsh on victor because of it. anything they say that isn't positive or supportive of victor is bad but i hope they realize that there is more to him than that and that they can come to terms with it because it's not always that hard to be a part of that community and super religious. i am biromantic and catholic. and while there are some things i wont agree on my mom with, i know that it's more of a strike against God for kicking out gay kids from families than it is to be gay, because those parents were given trust by GOD to love those kids no matter what, and be good parents. so in the end, the parents are wrong and harmful and in the case of christians against jesus's teachings to love everyone.

10. this is fan speculation but dont think simon/bram are going through a rough patch? i honestly think it'd be a little cruel to the characters to have on of their actors be producing but then not have that relationship stay. and while it's not set in stone and obviously things happen in the real world, we have no proof script wise about there being a rift. all we have are bad photoshopped ig photos and scenes where two characters are never standing next to each other probably beccaue schedules never link up correctly for minor characters. who knows, maybe nick robinson was filming for a movie where is does have an even more major role than victor's gay guru in a series about victor so his filming time was around that. im gonna keep hope that things are okay.

11. that being said: we need more mainstream wlw content, because someone said it earlier and it really does seem to be catering to straight girls. i'll admit i did freak out when benji played call me maybe which is something i associated with him and victor but then kissed a guy because who wouldn't? we get that serenade and sweetness and then it'a ripped from us. but i did mellow out. if i flipped later it was because victor was making dumb decisions and i had to give myself a moment of compsure before i continued.

in the end, i'd say that there is a lot of growth this series needs to go through, but i also know that some people just aren't going to like it and i get that. but i also know that sometimes the best of stories have rocky starts, nothing is ever perfect from the beginning. and besides, further seasons are on hold until we figure out this covid thing, which means that you bet they're gonna be looking at our feedback. they saw what we thought before, they can do it again

i really did like it but we need more ACTUAL lgbtq+ relationship stuff from this series and better decisions on what we are teaching the younger generations, as well as what we want to focus on and realism within characters. i'm giving it an 8/10, because there is always room for growth and i really hope we get better things out of this than what we have been given in season 2.

edit: someone mentioned it really seeming like it was meant for Disney+ and i felt that. also to anyone who reaches the tags agter reading ALL OF THIS: i am sorry

[ainarosewood]

Echos of Memory

Warning 5.2 Spoilers beneath cut (some of it will be direct quotes from the cutscene in A Sleep Disturbed.)

Also a very long post beneath it as well.  Suffice to say I was quite inspired....he he.

@ffxiv-writers​

Y’shtola’s eyes narrowed at Uimet’s flippant response to her question and she muttered about dealing with foolhardy youths under her breath.  This caused Aina to smirk in amusement, the miq’ote was more like her master than she wanted to believe.

Uimet meanwhile placed the statue on the open pedestal causing the second pillar to light with an orange glow and the door to open.  The five of them entered and before them stood a coffin with a faded mural painted on the wall behind.

“He who would disturb a hero’s slumber,” Y’shtola stated softly then as they looked around she continued, “A tomb just as i thought, befitting a hero.”

Almet looked upon the mural and gasped, “She is Viis!  Could it be the Archmage Tiuna?”

At their questioning looks she explained, “A Legendary hero of Ronka, as you surmised.  The Tales tell of how she smote entire armies with a single incantation, so potent was her spell craft---though she ever fought in the name of peace.”

Suddenly Aina’s heart pounded in her ears followed by a roar and the white out that she was all to familiar with.  The other’s voices faded away replaced by the flickering image of a massive army arrayed before her.  

“You have this one chance to turn around and return from whence you came,” she stated calmly, “In the name of the Ronkan Emperor, I implore you. Leave now and return to your home.”

“Forward!” the General of the army shouted, “Kill the Viis Mage then continue till we reach the capitol.”

Tiuna closed her eyes and murmured sadly, “You leave me no choice then.”  She raised her hand above her head and began incantation.”  

A light began to glow about the Archmage and she felt the all to familiar presence of the Mother as she finished the spell.

Suddenly the sky above filled with billowing clouds and turned a lurid red.  In moments countless meteors rained down on the army crushing and burning all who were in their path.  Cries of war changed to screams of terror and those not directly hit broke ranks and fled desperately trying to avoid the deadly fall.

Once the spell finished and before her was naught but smoldering corpses and pockmarks she closed her eyes and whispered a prayer to Ox’Dalan for the souls she had just sent to him this day.”

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Again the area flickered and whited out then Aina found herself staring at a concerned Cymet staring at her, “Are you alright?” she asked softly.

Aina shook her head to clear it of the lingering pain of the Echo vision and gave Cymet a smile of reassurance.  Beyond the young Viis Aina heard Almet state, “Tuina was not only a master of spell craft.  It was said that she could  see truths long lost and hear the voices of men’s hearts.”

Aina and Y’shtola exchanged looks and the miq’ote exclaimed, “Naught less that the Echo.....in which case none of this is mere coincidence ”

“I just had a vision of what was depicted in the mural...sort of....it was an Echo vision and yet...instead of viewing it from some other view point it was from Tiuna’s direct.”  the Viera stated to them, “I was her, calling down the meteoric rain that destroyed an entire army.  Just before the spell finished she was filled with Her Light....”

Y’shtola’s eyes widened at the statement while the three Viis looked confused.  Aina turned to them and stated, “To her it felt like the ‘Mother’s” light.”  That seemed enough for the Viis to understand.

“So Tiuna was one of her Chosen,” Y’shtola said softly touching her chin thoughtfully, “ A shower of stars setting the sky aflame-and in both this world and the Source we find individuals with in whom a mysterious power awakened at the sight.  We could never unpick the why of it. Now however I believe we might.”

Aina turned back toward the mural and Y’shtola asked, “Does the scene  depicted here not resemble the one we saw when we first entered the Qitana Raval?  Does not what you described from your vision, as well as the image here, also bring to mind what Emet-Selch’s described of the Final Days?”

Y’shtola then turned contemplative as she added, “If, as the Excarch’s research suggests that mind and soul share a fragile, yet profound bond, might it not be possible for an event to leave such an deep imprint upon the soul that it could be perceived eons later-given a suitable trigger?”

Aina thought about that herself, could it?  Could all of those that bear the Echo merely be fragments of souls that witnessed the Final Days?  She knew that some how, some way Ardbert had been just that.  A fragment of her soul that once returned saved her from certain death. Also Emet had stated that she had been ‘rejoined’ with seven other fragments of herself with each calamity.  So were all of the Warrior’s of Light in the past just fragments of the same soul?  That would explain why she saw this particular vision from direct point of view rather than another’s.

“The Echo defies explanation by conventional aetherolocial theory or shall we say modern aetherolocial theory.  But if it is a power that once belonged to the Ancients, to souls yet undivided...” Y’shtola muttered then seemed to shake herself stating, “It would I have entered the realm of pure speculation.  And I call myself a scholar.  I shall refrain from making any further wild claims until such time as i have evidence”

“Speculation or not Shtola, it doesn’t sound that far fetched considering all we have witnessed.” Aina responded.

“Jumping to conclusions will avail us not and certainly wont supply us any of the answers we seek.  Trouble your self no more with my ramblings.” Y’shtola countered then continued softly, “Still I cannot choose but be reminded of our experience in Amarout.”

“Then you must recall Emet-Selch’s dying request.” Aina murmured sadly 

Y’shtola closed her eyes saying, “Remember Us.”

They all stood in silence for a long moment staring at the mural each occupied with their own thoughts before Almet broke the silence, “History is learned not lived. We have ever protected the Tales of Ronka just has we have protected this place.  But we are mindful of what our mother’s taught us”

They all turned to her and she continued, “We see the past through our own eyes and speak of it with our own words. Thus do we come to understand it, in our own way.  But this is not the same as remembering.”

Aina thought about these words.  For Aina, it made sense, it was not unlike what her own mother had taught her concerning the Tales of the Wood from whence her mother came.  She had told her the stories of their past and bade her to think of them and learn them in her own way not the way her mother knew them to be.

“Your Mother’s were wise,”  Y’shtola stated turning to Aina adding, “Though we witnessed the Final Days our impressions could not fail but to be colored by our own experiences and expectations.  Those that lived through it would have perceived the event differently.”

Aina knew Shtola was right. But at the same time that simply brought a question unbidden to her own mind, What am I then truly?  Am I just a fragment of a soul or am I  more with the ‘rejoinings’ of the others?  Was it the same for me as it was for the other Scions?  Was this most recent vision a glimpse of someone else’s past or my own?

It had been unlike any of the other visions she had witnessed before those had always been through the eyes of another not her own.  Once again the Archbishop’s question of who or what are you echoed in her mind. 

“We must bear in mind that it is no simple task to keep the truth alive, or it will die with Emet-Selch and his kin. But, we have disturbed Tuina long enough Fanow will serve similarly well as a venue for our contemplations.”

As they left Aina glanced back at the mural and the coffin a myriad of questions swirling in her mind.